Light source device and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A light source device is provided, which includes: a hold member; a light source held by the hold member; an optical element held by the hold member; and a hardened first adhesive agent bonding at least one of the light source and the optical element to the holding member. The hardened first adhesive agent has elasticity.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained inJapanese patent application No. 2008-140811 filed on May 29, 2008, whichis expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a light source device used for an imageforming apparatus and other apparatuses, and a manufacturing methodthereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, an electrographic image forming apparatus, such as a laserprinter and a digital copying machine, uses an exposure unit that turnson and off a laser beam correspondingly to data of an image to beprinted and scans a photosensitive member with this laser beam, therebyforming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member.

The exposure unit includes a light source such as a laser diode, and acoupling lens (collimate lens). The coupling lens is disposed at thefont of the laser diode for converting a laser light into a laser beam(in this specification, with respect to the light source device, anadvancing direction in an optical-axis direction, i.e., downstream, isreferred to as a “front”).

In order to form an excellent image, the laser light needs to beconverged into a small point on the exposure surface of thephotosensitive member. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly determinea distance in an optical-axis direction between the laser diode and thecoupling lens on the order of several μm to several hundreds of μm.

Thus, in order to strictly position the light source and the couplinglens, the position of the light source and the coupling lens is adjustedin two stages, i.e., a rough adjustment and a fine adjustment. Forexample, in an exposure unit disclosed in Patent Document 1, opticalaxes of a laser diode and a collimate lens are adjusted (i.e., theposition in an X-Y direction orthogonal to the optical axis is aligned)with respect to each other, and in this state, both components, i.e. thelaser diode and the collimate lens, are fixed to a holding member madeof an aluminum plate. Thereafter, a portion of the aluminum plateholding the laser diode is deflected by feeding of a screw (see numeral370 in FIG. 5) so as to finely adjust the position of the laser diode inthe optical-axis direction (referred as a Z-direction).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No.2004-163463 (FIGS. 5 and 6, U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,166)

In the method described in Patent Document 1, when the position of thelaser diode is finely adjusted in the Z-direction by the feeding of thescrew, the rotation force by which the screw is rotated may act on thealuminum plate holding the laser diode to misalign the optical axes ofthe light source and the coupling lens. Such misalignment of the opticalaxes enlarges aberration of a beam shaped by the coupling lens. This mayresult in a possibility that a laser beam cannot be converged into adesired small point.

SUMMARY

The present invention was made in view of the above-noted and/or othercircumstances.

As one of illustrative, non-limiting embodiments, the present inventioncan provide a light source device including: a holding member; a lightsource held by the holding member; an optical element held by theholding member; and a hardened first adhesive agent bonding at least oneof the light source and the optical element to the holding member. Thehardened first adhesive agent has elasticity.

Accordingly, as one of advantages, the present invention can accuratelyposition an optical element such as a coupling lens to a light source.This and other advantages of the present invention will be discussed indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view showing a laser printer provided with alight source device according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a scanner unit.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the light source device.

FIG. 4 is a partially-cutaway perspective view of the light sourcedevice.

FIGS. 5( a) to 5(d) are diagrams each describing an assembling step ofthe light source device, where FIG. 5( a) is an exploded perspectiveview before assembly; FIG. 5( b) is a diagram showing the arrangement ofadhesive agents, where the light source device is seen from the front;FIG. 5( c) is a perspective view of a curing step of the adhesive agent;and FIG. 5( d) shows a perspective view of a step of finely adjustingthe position of the coupling lens in the Z-direction.

FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b) are longitudinal sectional views each describing astep of fine adjustment of a position of a coupling lens in aZ-direction, where FIG. 6( a) shows a position before the fineadjustment, and FIG. 6( b) shows a position after the fine adjustment.

FIGS. 7( a) to 7(c) are diagrams each describing a light source deviceof a second exemplary embodiment, where FIG. 7( a) is an explodedperspective view of a cap assembly; FIG. 7( b) is a longitudinalsectional view showing a rough adjustment and a curing step; and FIG. 7(c) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fine adjustment step.

FIGS. 8( a) to 8(c) are diagrams each describing a light source deviceof a third exemplary embodiment, where FIG. 8( a) shows a longitudinalsectional view after the rough adjustment is ended; FIG. 8( b) shows alongitudinal sectional view when the adhesive agent is cured after thefine adjustment; and FIG. 8( c) shows a longitudinal sectional viewafter the fine adjustment is ended.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a light source device according to afirst modification of the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a light source device according toa second modification of the third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[First Embodiment]

Next, one exemplary embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings tobe referenced, FIG. 1 is a sectional side view showing a laser printerprovided with a light source device according to one embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of a scanner unit. In orderto describe a laser printer 1 below, there are adopted not only afront-back direction in the light source device, but also a directionwith respect to a user at the time of using the laser printer 1. Thatis, in FIG. 1, the right side Is referred to as a “front side;” the leftside is referred to as a “back side;” out of the vertical direction ofthe drawing, the far side is referred to as a “right side;” and the nearside thereof is referred to as a “left side.” It is noted that theup-down direction is referred to as an “up-down direction” because thedirection illustrated in the drawing matches a direction when the laserprinter 1 is used by the user.

<Total Configuration of a Laser Printer>

As shown in FIG. 1, a laser printer 1 includes a casing 2, a feeder unit4 for feeding a sheet 3, and an image forming unit 5 for forming animage on the sheet 3, for example.

<Configuration of the Feeder Unit>

The feeder unit 4 includes a feeder tray 6 removably mounted to thebottom within the casing 2, and a sheet press plate 7 arranged withinthe feeder tray 6. The feeder unit 4 further includes various rollers 11for conveying the sheet 3 or capturing paper dust. The feeder unit 4 isconfigured so that the sheet 3 within the feeder tray 6 is upwardlyurged by the sheet press plate 7, and conveyed to an image forming unit5 by the various rollers 11.

<Configuration of the Image Forming Unit>

The image forming unit 5 includes a scanner unit 16 (as an example of anexposure unit), a process cartridge 17, a fixing part 18, etc.

<Schematic Configuration of the Scanner Unit>

The scanner unit 16 is arranged at an upper part in the casing 2, and asshown in FIG. 2, the scanner unit 16 includes a light source device 100,a cylindrical lens 25, a polygon mirror 19, an fθ lens 20, and areflector 22. In order to correct an optical face tangle error of thepolygon mirror 19, the cylindrical lens 25 narrows a laser beam from thelight source device 100 in a sub-scanning direction before the laserbeam is made incident on the polygon mirror 19. The polygon mirror 19,which has a mirror on each hexagonal side part, reflects the laser beampassing through the cylindrical lens 25 while being rotated to deflectand scan the laser beam in the main scanning direction. The fθ lens 20converts the laser beam, scanned at an equiangular speed by the polygonmirror 19, so that the laser beam is scanned at an equal speed on thesurface of a photosensitive drum 27 while being focused on the surge ofthe photosensitive drum 27.

The scanner unit 16 further includes a correction lens 21, andreflectors 23 and 24, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to orient the laserbeam, oriented downwardly by the reflector 22, toward the photosensitivedrum 27. Each of these members is appropriately installed to a case 16A(see FIG. 2).

The configuration of the light source device 100 will be described indetail later.

<Configuration of the Process Cartridge>

The process cartridge 17 can be mounted to and removed from the casing 2when the front cover 2 a at the front side of the casing 2 is open. Theprocess cartridge 17 includes a developing ridge 28 and a drum unit 39.

The developing cartridge 28 and the drum unit 39 mounted together aremountable to and removable from the casing 2 as a unit. Alternatively,the developing cartridge 28 per se may be mounted to and removed fromthe drum unit 39 fixed to the casing 2. The developing cartridge 28includes a developing roller 31, a layer-thickness regulating blade 32,a supply roller 33, and a toner accommodating chamber 34.

In the developing cartridge 28, toner in the toner accommodating chamber34 is stirred by an agitator 34A, and thereafter, supplied to thedeveloping roller 31 by the supply roller 33. When supplied to thedeveloping roller 31, the toner is positively charged by frictionbetween the supply roller 33 and developing roller 31. As the developingroller 31 is rotated, the toner supplied onto the developing roller 31enters between the layer-thickness regulating blade 32 and thedeveloping roller 31, where the toner is carried on the developingroller 31 as a thin layer of a constant thickness while being furthercharged by friction.

The drum unit 39 includes a photosensitive drum 27, a scorotron-typecharger 29, and a transfer roller 30. Within the drum unit 39, thesurface of the photoconductor drum 27 is positively and uniformlycharged by the scorotron-type charger 29, and thereafter, exposed byhigh-speed scanning of the laser beam from the scanner unit 16. Thereby,the potential in the exposed part is decreased, and an electrostaticlatent image based on image data is formed.

Next, as the developing roller 31 is further rotated, the toner carriedon the developing roller 31 is supplied to the electrostatic latentimage formed on the surface of photoconductor drum 27, and thereby, atoner image is formed on the surface of photoconductor drum 27.Thereafter, the sheet 3 is conveyed between the photoconductor drum 27and the transfer roller 30, and as a result, the toner image carried onthe surface of photoconductor drum 27 is transferred on the sheet 3.

<Configuration of the Fixing Part>

The fixing part 18 includes a heating roller 41 and a pressure roller42, arranged opposite the heating roller 41, for pressurizing theheating roller 41. With the thus configured fixing part 18, the tonertransferred onto the sheet 3 is fixed thermally while the sheet 3 passesbetween the heating roller 41 and the pressure roller 42. The sheet 3having the toner image thermally fixed thereon is conveyed to a sheetdischarge roller 45 disposed downstream of the fixing part 18, and isfed onto a sheet discharge tray 46 from the sheet discharge roller 45.

<Configuration of the Light Source Device>

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the light source device, andFIG. 4 is a partially-cutaway perspective view of the light sourcedevice. FIGS. 5( a) to 5(d) are diagrams each 15 describing anassembling step of the light source device. FIG. 5( a) is an explodedperspective view before assembly; FIG. 5( b) is a diagram showing thearrangement of adhesive agents, where the light source device is seenfrom the front; FIG. 5( c) is a perspective view of a curing step of theadhesive agent; and FIG. 5( d) shows a perspective view of a step offinely adjusting the position of the coupling lens in the Z-direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, a light source device 100 is configured so that aholding member 110 holds a laser diode 130 and a coupling lens 140 andthe position of the coupling lens 140 relative to the laser diode 130 isadjusted by a cap 120.

The holding member 110 is a cylindrical member made by machiningaluminum, etc., and is formed with an optical-path hole 111 having acentral axis on which a laser light passes. At one end portion (regardedas a back end portion because for the laser light, this is the upstreamside) of the optical-path hole 111, the holding member 110 is formedwith a laser attaching portion 112 into which the laser diode 130 ispress-fitted. At the other end portion (front end portion) thereof, theholding member 110 is formed with a lens bonded surface 114 to which thecoupling lens 140 is bonded. The laser attaching portion 112 has acylindrical surface 112A corresponding to the outer diameter of thelaser diode 130 and an abutment surface 112B that is a surface of astepped portion reduced in diameter at the front end of the cylindricalsurface 112A. The abutment surface 112B is used for positioning thelaser diode 130 in the Z-direction, i.e., the optical-axis direction, byabutting the laser diode 130 against the abutment surface 112B when thelaser diode 130 is press-fitted. The lens bonded surface 114 isorthogonal to the Z-direction of the holding member 110.

The outer circumference of the holding member 110 is formed with a malescrew 113 in a predetermined range from the front end. As shown in FIG.4 and FIG. 5( b), the front end portion of the holding member is formedwith three notches 113A at equal intervals in the circumferentialdirection. Each notch 113A is a part into which a chuck 180 for graspingthe coupling lens 140 enters when bonding the coupling lens 140 to theholding member 110 (see FIGS. 5( a) and 5(c)).

The laser diode 130 is an element that emits a laser light at a slightlydivergent angle. As shown in FIG. 5( a), the laser diode 130 has a mainbody 131, a collar 132, and an electrical terminal 133, and ispress-fitted in the laser attaching portion 112 of the holding member110, as described above.

The coupling lens 140 is a lens for converging light radiated from thelaser diode 130 and for converting the light into a beam. As shown inFIG. 3, the coupling lens 140 is formed so that its back surface 141 isplanar and its front surface 142 is convex. The coupling lens 140 isbonded to the lens bonded surface 114 of the holding member 110 with afirst adhesive agent 150.

The first adhesive agent 150 is an adhesive agent having elasticityafter being cured. Examples of the first adhesive agent 150 include anadhesive agent having an elastic modulus after being hardened or curedon the order of several MPa to several hundreds of MPa. The level ofelasticity of the first adhesive agent 150 may be so strong in elasticdeformation to the extent that after the first adhesive agent 150 ishardened, the position of the coupling lens 140 in the Z-direction canbe finely adjusted. The level may be selected according to a lightsource device to be specifically manufactured and a production facilitytherefor. Examples of the first adhesive agent 150 may include anadhesive agent which can elastically deform on the order of several ∥mto several hundreds of μm in teens of an amount of elastic deformation.In consideration of the ease of manufacture, it is desired to use, asthe first adhesive agent 150, a light curable resin that is cured by theirradiation of a curing light.

The cap 120 is a cylindrical member that is threadedly engaged with thefront end of the holding member 110 from the external side, and has alight-emitting hole 112 having the central axis, on which the beamconverted by the coupling lens 140 passes. Further, the innercircumference of the cap 120 is formed with a female screw 122threadedly engaged with the male screw 113 of the holding member 110.The edge portion of the light-emitting hole 121 forms a projection 123,extending toward the rear side, for fine adjustment of the coupling lens140.

In the assembled light source device 100, the coupling lens 140 that isbonded to the holding member 110 is pressed in the Z-direction(optical-axis direction) within an elastic range of the cured firstadhesive agent 150, and fixed to the holding member 110 in a state thata distance between the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens 140 isfinely adjusted.

<Manufacturing Method of the Light Source Device>

Next, the manufacturing method of the aforementioned light source device100 is described.

As shown in FIG. 5( a), the laser diode 130 is press-fitted in theholding member 110 from the back end. More specifically, the laser diode130 is press-fitted until the collar 132 abuts against the abutmentsurface 112B of the holding member 110. As a result, the position of thelaser diode 130 in the Z-direction is determined relative to the holdingmember 110.

Next, by using an adhesive-agent applying device (not shown), the firstadhesive agent 150 is applied on the lens bonded surface 114 of theholding member 110 while avoiding the notches 113A as shown in FIG. 5(b). In this embodiment, a light curable resin is used as the firstadhesive agent 150.

Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 5(c), the outer circumferentialedge of the coupling lens 140 is grasped from three directions by the3-jaw chuck 180, and the coupling lens 140 is brought closer to the lensbonded surface 114 of the holding member 110. Next, the laser diode 130is turned on to emit light, and the position of the coupling lens 140 inan X-Y direction is determined while measuring a state of the light thathas passed through the coupling lens 140. That is, the optical axis ofthe laser diode 130 and that of the coupling lens 140 are aligned.Concurrently, the position of the coupling lens 140 in the Z-directionis also roughly adjusted. In this rough adjustment, the position of thecoupling lens 140 is adjusted such that a distance between the laserdiode 130 and the coupling lens 140 after this rough adjustment islarger than a distance between the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens140 positioned at a final target position in the Z-direction. This isbecause the position of the coupling lens 140 in the Z-direction can befinely adjusted after this rough adjustment by moving the coupling lens140 toward the laser diode 130 with the cap 120.

When the rough adjustment of the position of the coupling lens 140 whilemoving the chuck 180 is completed, the chuck 180 is stopped. Then, thefirst adhesive agent 150 is irradiated with an ultraviolet ray (curingrays) by an ultraviolet lamp 190 for curing. In this way, the couplinglens 140 is bonded and fixed to the holding member 110 with the firstadhesive agent 150, as shown in FIG. 5( d).

Next the cap 120 is threadedly engaged with the male screw 113 of theholding member 110 (see FIG. 5( d)) so as to finely adjust the positionof the coupling lens 140 in the Z-direction. FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b) arelongitudinal sectional views each showing a step of fine adjustment ofthe position of the coupling lens 140 in the Z-direction. FIG. 6( a)shows a position before the fine adjustment, and FIG. 6( b) shows aposition after the fine adjustment.

As shown in FIG. 6( a), a position Z1 of the back surface 141 of thecoupling lens 140 in the Z-direction and a position Z0 at which the backsurface 141 should be located are offset before the fine adjustment.More specifically, the position Z0 is located backwardly of the positionZ1. It is noted that the aforementioned target position is a designposition based on the assumption of this position Z0.

As shown in FIG. 6( b), when the cap 120 is screwed to the holdingmember 110, the projection 123 contacts the front surface 142 of thecoupling lens 140, thereby pushing the coupling lens 140 backwards. Thefirst adhesive agent 150, which is pushed by the coupling lens 140, isdeformed within a range of its elasticity. The laser diode 130 is turnedon to emit light while threadedly moving the cap 120 backwards, and theconvergence of the laser beam by the coupling lens 140 is measured byusing optical elements, such as another lens, placed at a predeterminedposition (not shown). When the laser beam can be converged at one point,the screwing of the cap 120 to the holding member 110 is ended.Accordingly, the position Z1 of the back surface 141 can be identical tothe position Z0.

As described above, the positions of each direction, i.e., X-, Y-, andZ-directions, of the coupling lens 140 relative to the holding member110 are determined. That is, the positions of the coupling lens 140 ineach direction, i.e., X-, Y- and Z-directions, relative to the laserdiode 130 are also determined.

In this positioning process, the coupling lens 140 is bonded to theholding member 110 with the first adhesive agent 150, and thereby, anapproximate position of the coupling lens 140 relative to the laserdiode 130 is finalized. Thereafter, the final position of the couplinglens 140 is finely adjusted by utilizing the elasticity of the firstadhesive agent 150. Therefore, during the final fine adjustment, thecoupling lens 140 is not located at any unexpected position due tounintended movement. Thus, the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens 140can be positioned accurately with each other.

Further, the optical axes of the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens140 are aligned relative to each other and the approximate position inthe Z-direction is also adjusted by the rough adjustment. Thus, only thedistance between the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens 140 isadjusted by the fine adjustment. During this fine adjustment, thecoupling lens 140 is substantially restrained by the first adhesiveagent 150 in the X-Y direction. Thus, when the coupling lens 140 ismoved in the Z-direction only, the accurate positioning is enabled.

Also, the rough adjustment is carried out such that a distance betweenthe laser diode 130 and the coupling lens 140 is larger than apreliminarily determined target distance between the laser diode 130 andthe coupling lens 140. Therefore, when the cap 120 is fed in thebackward direction by the final fine adjustment, it reaches the targetposition any way. Thus, the fine adjustment step can be performedefficiently.

In addition, the light source device 100 of the present embodiment usesthe cap 120 that contacts the coupling lens 140 and that is threadedlyengaged with the holding member 110 to advance and retract in theoptical-axis direction. Thus, the final fine adjustment can be performedwith a simple method, i.e., the rotation of the cap 120.

[Second Embodiment]

Next, a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed. In the referenced figure, FIGS. 7( a) to 7(c) are diagramseach describing a light source device of the second embodiment. FIG. 7(a) is an exploded perspective view of a cap assembly, FIG. 7( b) is alongitudinal sectional view showing a rough adjustment and a curingstep, and FIG. 7( c) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fineadjustment step. It is noted that in each of the following embodiments,the points that are different from those in the first embodiment willmainly be described, and the same elements are assigned the samenumerals.

A light source device 200 according to the second embodiment isconfigured such that the coupling lens 140 can move in both directions,i.e., a front-back direction, to perform fine adjustment. As shown inFIG. 7( a), the cap assembly 220 used in the light source device 200 ofthe second embodiment includes split-type lens holders 221 (three splitparts) and a ring 222. Each split-type lens holder 221 has a shapeobtained by splitting a cylinder in three parts in a circumferentialdirection, and has on its inner circumference two ribs 221A and 221Bthat protrude in a radius direction. The interval between the ribs 221Aand 221B is set to correspond to the thickness of an outercircumferential edge portion 143 of the coupling lens 140. Accordingly,the edge portion 143 can be inserted between and fixed by the ribs 221Aand 221B. The back end portion on the inner circumference of the capassembly 220, similar to the cap 120 of the first embodiment, is formedwith a female screw 221C threadedly engaged with the male screw 113 ofthe holding member 110.

The three split-type lens holders 221 are integrated after the outercircumferential edge portion 143 of the coupling lens 140 is insertedbetween the ribs 221A and 221B. The outside of the integrated lensholders 221 is fitted with the ring 222, thereby configuring theintegrated cap assembly 220.

The light source device 200 according to the second embodiment isassembled as follows: First, as shown in FIG. 7( b), the first adhesiveagent 150 is applied to the lens bonded surface 114 of the holdingmember 210, and the coupling lens 140 is grasped by the chuck 180, whichis brought close to the lens bonded surface 114. In this state, theposition of the coupling lens 140 is roughly adjusted. In a state thatthe rough adjustment is completed, an ultraviolet ray is irradiated bythe ultraviolet lamp 190, thereby curing the first adhesive agent 150.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7( c), the split-type lens holders 221 areassembled together so that the outer circumferential edge portion 143 ofthe coupling lens 140 is inserted between the ribs 221A and 221B of thethree split-type lens holders 221. The outside of the split-type lensholders 221 that has a cylindrical shape as a result of being assembledtogether is fitted with the ring 222. The assembled cap assembly 220 isrotated relative to the holding member 110, and thereby, the capassembly 220 is moved in the front-back direction relative to theholding member 110.

The cap assembly 220 in this embodiment has the ribs 221A and 221B atthe front and back of the coupling lens 140, respectively, at the stageof the fine adjustment shown in FIG. 7( c). Thus, depending on thedirection into which the cap assembly 220 is rotated relative to theholding member 110, the coupling lens 140 can be moved both forwardlyand backwardly of the laser diode 130. As a result, at the step of therough adjustment, even when the coupling lens 140 is deviated eitherforwardly or backwardly of the target position, the position of thecoupling lens 140 in the Z-direction can be finely adjusted.

[Third Embodiment]

Next, a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed. In the referenced figure, FIGS. 8( a) to 8(c) are diagramseach describing a light source device of the third embodiment. FIG. 8(a) shows a longitudinal sectional view after the rough adjustment isended, FIG. 8( b) shows a longitudinal sectional view when the adhesiveagent is cured after the fine adjustment, and FIG. 8( c) shows alongitudinal sectional view after the fine adjustment is ended. In thethird embodiment, a case that after the fine adjustment of the couplinglens 140, the position of the coupling lens 140 is further fixed withthe adhesive agent is described.

As shown in FIG. 8( a), similar to the first embodiment, the lightsource device 300 according to the third embodiment is assembled suchthat the position of the coupling lens 140 is roughly adjusted after thelaser diode 130 is press-fitted in the holding member 310, and then, thecoupling lens 140 is bonded to the holding member 310 with the firstadhesive agent 150.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8( b), the coupling lens 140 is pushedbackwards by a jig 380 for fine adjustment of a lens position, and theposition of the coupling lens 140 is finely adjusted within a range ofan elastic deformation of the first adhesive agent 150. After the fineadjustment is completed, a second adhesive agent 350, which is a lightcurable resin, is applied across the front end surface 311 of theholding member 310 and the outer circumferential edge portion 143 of thecoupling lens 140. For the second adhesive agent 350, an adhesive agentof which the elastic modulus after being cured is higher than that ofthe first adhesive agent 150 aft being cured is used. Further, thesecond adhesive agent 350 is irradiated with an ultraviolet ray by theultraviolet lamp 190 so as to cure the second adhesive agent 350.

As described above, when the second adhesive agent 350 is cured, thecoupling lens 140 is positioned in the Z-direction in a state that thefirst adhesive agent 150 is elastically deformed, as shown in FIG. 8(c). The second adhesive agent 350 is higher in elastic modulus afterbeing cured than the first adhesive agent 150. Thus, the deformation ofthe second adhesive due to the elastic force of the first adhesive agent150 is small, and the position of the coupling lens 140 relative to theholding member 310 can be fixed. From this viewpoint, the higher theelastic modulus after being cured in the second adhesive agent 350, themore desirable.

By fixing the coupling lens 140 with the second adhesive agent 350 as inthis embodiment, the step of the fine adjustment can be performed on thesame production line as that of the rough adjustment by the firstadhesive agent 150.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove, the present invention is not limited to the aforementionedembodiments and can be appropriately modified and implemented.

For example, the coupling lens 140 and the holding member 310 are bondedwith the second adhesive agent 350 in the third embodiment. However, asin a light source device 400 shown in FIG. 9, a cap 420 that is fittedslidably only, rather than being threadedly engaged by a screw, to theholding member 410, is arranged, the cap 420 is used to press thecoupling lens 140 for the fine adjustment, and thereafter, with thesecond adhesive agent 350, the cap 420 and the holding member 410 may bebonded.

Moreover, instead of bonding the cap 420 and the holding member 410 withan adhesive agent, these components can also be fixed through adhesionsuch as spot welding as shown in FIG. 10.

In the aforementioned embodiments, the holding member 110 and thecoupling lens 140 are bonded with the first adhesive agent 150. However,the laser diode 130 and the holding member 110 may be bonded with thefirst adhesive agent 150, and at the step of fine adjustment, theposition of the laser diode 130 relative to the holding member 110 maybe adjusted. Moreover, both the laser diode 130 and the coupling lens140 may be bonded to the holding member 110 with the first adhesiveagent 150.

In the aforementioned first embodiment, the rough adjustment isperformed so that the coupling lens 140 is set at a position that isfurther than the target distance between the laser diode 130 and thecoupling lens 140. However the coupling lens 140 may also be set at anearer position.

In the aforementioned embodiments, the laser printer 1 is illustrated asan example of an apparatus in which the light source device is arranged,the laser diode 130 is illustrated as the light source, and the couplinglens 140 is illustrated as the optical element. However, there is nolimitation to these.

As discussed above, the present invention can provide at least thefollowing illustrative, non-limiting embodiments:

(1) A method of manufacturing a light source device, the light sourcedevice including: a light source; an optical element for convertinglight radiated from the light source into a desired beam; and a holdingmember for holding the light source and the optical element, themanufacturing method including a step of bonding at least one of thelight source and the optical element to the holding member with a firstadhesive agent having elasticity after being cured.

(2) A light source device including: a light source; an optical elementfor converting light radiated from the light source into a desired beam;and a holding member for holding the light source and the opticalelement, wherein at least one of the light source and the opticalelement is bonded to the holding member with a first adhesive agenthaving elasticity after being cured.

According to the manufacturing method of (1) and the light source deviceof (2), when at least one of the light source and the holding member isbonded to a holding member with a first adhesive agent, an approximatepositional relationship between the light source and the optical elementcan be finalized. Further, since the first adhesive agent has elasticityafter being cured, the positional relationship of the light source andthe optical element can be finely adjusted within a range of deformationcaused by the elasticity. Thus, it is possible to accurately positionthe light source and the optical element with each other.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a light source device, comprising: a preparation step of providing a light source, an optical element for converting light radiated from the light source into a desired beam, and a holding member for holding the light source and the optical element; a bonding step of bonding at least one of the light source and the optical element to the holding member with a first adhesive agent having elasticity after being hardened; a rough adjustment step of aligning an optical axis of the light source and an optical axis of the optical element to each other and roughly adjusting a distance between the light source and the optical element; a hardening step of hardening the first adhesive agent in a state in which the optical axis of the light source and the optical axis of the optical element have been aligned to each other and the distance between the light source and the optical element have been roughly adjusted; a fine adjustment step of moving the at least one of the light source and the optical element, bonded to the holding member by the bonding step, in a direction of the optical axis of the at least one of the light source and the optical element within an elastic range of the hardened first adhesive agent so as to finely adjust the distance between the light source and the optical element; and a fixing step of fixing the at least one of the light source and the optical element to the holding member in a state in which the distance between the light source and the optical element has been finely adjusted, and wherein the fixing step includes fixing the at least one of the light source and the optical element to the holding member by bonding the at least one of the light source and the optical element to the holding member with a second adhesive agent higher in elastic modulus after being hardened than the first adhesive agent.
 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the rough adjustment step includes adjusting the distance between the light source and the optical element to be closer to, but larger or smaller than, a target distance between the light source and the optical element.
 3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the fine adjustment step includes moving the at least one of the light source and the optical element using an adjusting member contacting the at least one of the light source and the optical element. 